


Missing Touch

by amlovabledeathmo



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Misunderstanding, bagginshield, touch starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 09:39:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11826057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amlovabledeathmo/pseuds/amlovabledeathmo
Summary: Bilbo misses being touched by friends but that might mean more to dwarves





	Missing Touch

Now you see it wasn't that Bilbo was disliked per say but he was a bit to Took for these hobbits and a bit to Baggins for those hobbits so naturally he wasn't close to any hobbits. Perhaps that was why he found himself watching the dwarves enviously during their first week of travel. The dwarrow that were his traveling companions were quite touchy with each other and Bilbo missed that. He missed being a young faunt bathing with his cousins and friends, holding hands strolling the market, hugging, shoving, and just generally being in physical contact with others, that's how hobbits were, touchy when friends or kin. Unfortunately for Bilbo once he started getting older the touching had lessened until it stopped. Staring at the dwarves moving about made him realize just how long, in fact it had been a good five or more years since he had any contact at all and that was from his parents. He sighed loudly before settling in to sleep. 

Over the next few days he learned who was kin and who was not. It wasn't long before his observations showed that the dwarves were just as touchy with those distant relations or even not related at all as with those who were close kin. He was quite excited, maybe dwarrow were different than hobbits, much freer with touch in general not needing a close connection. He wasn't really sure how to integrate himself into the touching though even if he had successfully made friends with the boys and Bofur and tentative friendship with most of the others. His chance came soon, when Thorins' pony slipped and the majestic king ended up on the ground covered in mud. The decision to take a break was quite welcomed by everyone and the discovery of a nice stream nearby encouraged quick set up of camp. 

While the company rushed into the stream Bilbo hesitated for a bit before deciding to take the cookies out of the oven before they burned and wading over to Kili, Fili, and Ori. “Kili you're never gonna get those tangles out that way.” He announced before grabbing his bar of hair soap and working the knots out of Kili's hair. Outside the four of them silence fell and eyes turned to watch. Bilbo kept talking and the boys answered and chatted. When he finished Kili's hair he helped Ori wash his back and managed to push Fili down when he tried to splash him. It was the best Bilbo had felt in a long time, at least until he noticed the silence and turned to see the rest of the company watching with stone faces. “Oh did you all forget your soap?” Bilbo questioned slowly.

“That is quite a bold move little burglar, I would not have thought you so courageous.” Thorin stepped over to him. “Pardon? What move?” Bilbo glanced around. “To claim yourself kin,” Thorin suddenly glared even harder “Unless you mean to start a courtship with your actions.” “Courtship!” Bilbo gasped, hand fluttering to his chest “What do you mean? I've only helped them in the bath as friends do.” Thorin exhaled, unpuffing a bit. “Dwarrow do not touch lightly Master Baggins, to help one bathe is marking them as kin and usually hair washing is reserved as an offer of courtship if one is of age.” Bilbo flushed, why hadn't the boys stopped him then? “It's alright Uncle, we know Bilbo was being friendly, he calls us boys and children so often I don't think he knows we're old enough to court.” Kili laughed. “Now we can call him Uncle Bilbo, since he acts like it anyway.” Fili added. Thorin stared at them for a while before Ori pipped up “We all knew what Bilbo's actions meant and since we are adults we have accepted them which means he is now our kin and not even the king can change that.” “Ori!” Dori chastised.

Bathing was finished up and the journey resumed the next day. Things had been much quieter after the stream but the boys were much more affectionate to 'Uncle Bilbo' and Bilbo was quite pleased (once he got over the embarrassment) to have three new nephews. He wouldn't use the courting information until Rivendale where he ambushed a dwarf king in the fountain. There would be no more days without touch for Bilbo as by the end he had three nephews, a husband, and many brothers. Would probably get another nephew once Gimli arrived but that was still a few months away.


End file.
